Back to School/College/University Essentials

Hey guys,

As the new school year is fast approaching I thought I would do a post on essentials for going back to college, uni, school etc.  Or it can just be a useful guide for whoever and whatever, you don't have to be under 21!

1. Face Exfoliator -  we all want to go back with beautiful, blemish free looking skin so this is a must in helping that.  I am currently using No7 by Boots which I have found to be really good.  So good in fact I have used it all up now so must remember to re-purchase this weekend!

2.  Face Moisturiser - this is good for keeping skin hydrated, especially with the winter months coming up.  It's also quite good to get one with an SPF in it.  The one I am currently using is also by Boots and is their cucumber one which smells super fresh.

3.  Deodorant - always handy to carry in your bag if you have gym class you can top it up during the day to keep fresh.  The one I'm currently using is by Sanex and as well as keeping you dry it's kind on your skin.

4.  Body Spray - another thing to keep you smelling nice.  Impulse do lots of varieties of these and I don't think they're too pricey either.  Always good to keep one in your bag just for life in general!

5.  Hair Spray - always good to keep your hair in one place, especially when playing sports.  I always had to have my hair tied up when at school so hair spray was essential to stop it looking messy.  Even now when I have my hair up at work I like to add a little hair spray to stop any fly aways and I think it just looks really neat and put together.  At the moment I like to use the TIGI rockaholic one cos it makes me feel like a bit of a rock star, ha!  But Elnett is also a fave of mine and comes in small handbag sized bottles which I take to work.

6.  Tinted Moisturiser - when I was at school we were not allowed to wear make-up so if you feel quite self conscious of your skin then it could be a good idea to wear a tinted moisturiser or BB cream which is quite light (so you won't get caught out by teachers!) but also a bit of coverage for any acne/spots etc.

7.  Blusher - it's nice to have a bit of colour to your cheeks to give you a healthy glow but without going over the top so go for a peachy tone.  I really like the Sleek ones.

8.  Eye Shadow - again I know some of you may not be allowed to wear eye shadow at school but if you're at college or uni or wherever and you are allowed then keep it simple with neutral earthy colours such as Maybelline colour tattoos.  It's also good to have little eye shadow palettes that you can chuck into your bag and top up during the day.  I really like the one by Laura Geller that has 3 different shades of beige/browns.

9.  Bronzer - this is good for keeping your summer glow when going back to school.  Just a little bit on your contour, temple, forehead and nose.

10.  Concealer - great for hiding those dark circles where we have been sitting up on the internet or texting all night!  Another good product is an under eye highlighter such as Benefit Eye Bright.

11.  Eyeliner - if you're at school still you may want to skip this as it can sometimes look to heavy and noticeable.  However, if not then you could go for a kohl liner which is my fave to put along the water line.

11.  Mascara - you'll want to go for a more natural mascara to just enhance your own lashes.  You could also try curling them first for a little extra something.  You might want to choose a waterproof mascara as it's going to last longer during the day especially if you have sports or swimming etc.

12.  Lips - I think for school it's best to just stick with a lip balm.  This will keep your lips looking glossy but moisturised at the same time.  They are always handy to just carry around in your bag and top up during the day.  I really like the little tins by Vaseline.

13.  Nail Varnish - keep it simple and go for a clear coat.  This will make your nails look super shiny and healthy!

14.  Bag - I would say the best bag for school is a back pack.  I know these are a bit geeky but they are coming back in fashion!  I recently purchased a faded denim one from Primark for about £9 and I love it.  I took it to Ibiza with me as a carry on bag and you can fit so much stuff in it so would be great for all your college books.  I also sometimes take it shopping with me because where you can put it on both shoulders it doesn't feel as heavy and you are able to carry more stuff.

15.  Folders - folders are a good way of keeping all your homework and school work organised.  I particularly like the subject organisers which are like concertina folders to seperate all your different subjects or you can put things in alphabetical order.

16.  Pencil Case - you always need a good pencil case to keep all your writing equipment in.  The zipped pouch ones are good to fit everything in.  I also used to like the tin ones because I think they are easier to find stuff in.

17.  Pencils and Pens - gotta have a good HB!  I really like the mechanical ones where you don't have to sharpen them (because I'm lazy like that!).  For pens I like just standard Papermate ball point pens or Bic if you want something cheaper that will last long.  If I wanted to write something in best then I would use a Parker ink cartridge pen but to be honest, don't you all use computers for everything now anyway?!

18.  Post-it Notes - these are handy for writing yourself little notes and reminders for assignments etc.

19.  Mini Stapler - it's always good to have one of these.  You would be surprised how much you actually use it and your classmates will thank you as well!

20.  Cereal Bars - these are a good break time snack and can easily be thrown into your bag.  I am obsessed with cereal bars and have at least one a day.  They are just so handy for when you don't have time to sit and eat breakfast or if you just get a little peckish during the day.

21.  Water - it's important to stay hydrated during the day so make sure to pack a bottle of water in your bag.  I find when I drink water during the day I have more energy and can concerntrate more.

So those are all my back to school/college/university essentials.  I hope you found this useful.  Be sure to check out my latest video where I do the 3 minute make-up challenge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtArSxb4jds and follow me on Instagram: fash_swag24 and Twitter: wonky_lauren.

Thanks xx